Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi as “one of India’s most illustrious sons,” while the Centre issued a commemorative coin marking the centenary of the late DMK patriarch’s birth.
The Union Finance Ministry approved issuing a commemorative coin “honouring” the late DMK patriarch M. Karunanidhi, following a request from the DMK government in Tamil Nadu. They issued a notification for the same in July 2024.
PM Modi Praised Karunanidhi
Heaping praises on Karunanidhi, PM Modi called him “one of India’s most illustrious sons” and a “multi-talented personality with a prolific pen”.
“It is heartening to learn about the organization of Muthamizh Arignar Kalaignar Centenary Commemorative Coin release ceremony. This is an important occasion to commemorate the centenary of one of India’s most illustrious sons, Thiru Kalaignar Karunanidhi Ji.“, PM Modi said in a letter.
“A multi-talented personality with a prolific pen, Thiru Kalaignar Karunanidhi Ji’s efforts to promote the Tamil language and culture are still remembered by the people. His literary prowess shone through his works and earned him the affectionate title of ‘Kalaignar‘”, said PM Modi.
He also described Karunanidhi as a towering personality in Indian politics, literature, and society who was passionate about Tamil Nadu’s development and national progress, adding that the release of the commemorative coin honours him and the ideals he stood for.
However, here’s what Karunanidhi stood for.
About Karunanidhi
Karunanidhi, born Dakshinamurthy, became the DMK president after its founder, CN Annadurai. He was a close follower of anti-Hindu bigot EV Ramasamy Naicker, who was hailed as “Periyar” by his followers.
Karunanidhi has, on several occasions, kept the flame of a separate “Dravida Nadu” alive. He led DMK’s Kovilpatti conference in 1951, outlining plans for a prolonged fight for an independent Dravida Nadu or South India.
During the centenary celebrations of the Dravidian movement in 2012, Karunanidhi asserted that the Dravidian ideology would be strengthened, and a Dravidian State would be achieved if possible.
Karunanidhi’s views on Hinduism
Karunanidhi’s ascension to the top post made the DMK a dynastic party that came under his family’s stranglehold. Karunanidhi has made several controversial statements regarding Hindus and Hinduism. In one such remark in 2002, he referred to Hindus as ‘thieves’.
At that time, Karunanidhi argued that all he said was that even those who supported the Hindu religion interpreted the word Hindu as a thief. “Maybe it means someone who steals the heart.”, he had said during the controversy.
Karunanidhi had called for the Sethusamudra project, which involves demolishing Ram Setu, which runs from Rameswaram in India to Mannar Island in Sri Lanka.
In 2007 the Sethusamudram project was withdrawn due to technical difficulties of shallow water. Against this backdrop, Karunanidhi rhetorically asked, “Who is this Raman? In which engineering college did he study and become a civil engineer? When did he build this so-called bridge? Is there any evidence for this?”
He also wrote short stories and sometimes employed Hindu deities as characters in his stories, often distorting and misrepresenting them with sexual perversion.
How did Karunanidhi treat his opponents?
He has also abused his political opponents.
There are several instances where the late former Chief Minister Karunanidhi insulted and mocked Kamaraj. During his tenure as Chief Minister, Karunanidhi mandated that all panchayat council chiefs be addressed as “Perunthalaivar.”
However, this directive was rescinded on 3 April 1987 after MG Ramachandran (MGR) assumed power. Several cartoons mocking Kamarajar (sometimes with racist and casteist insinuations) were published in DMK’s official mouthpiece.
Nonetheless, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called him a “towering personality” and “one of India’s illustrious sons”.
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